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“It might be cancer.” When those words were spoken, it wasn’t clear who was more stunned—Michael or me. He was our beloved small group pastor. A true people person, Michael was the lubricant which kept staff friction to a minimum. Quick to laugh, he loved good steak, good wine, and good conversation.

We sat less than a foot apart in the small dining ...

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Childhood sexual abuse victims experience lifelong battles to gain understanding of what happened to them and why. Statistics show that 1 out of 20 boys are sexually abused as children, and the number is much higher for young girls: one out of five girls is sexually abused, 60 percent by someone they are familiar with and 30 percent by a family member. The abuse young girls ...

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I walked into church in December 2007 as a 32-year old new Christian, full of anger, hurt, and bitterness. I spent much of my life feeling like a failure and did not see a purpose for myself. My father left when I was very young. My mother was searching for her own self-worth and didn't have much time for me or my sister. My stepfather did not treat us like his own. ...

A church in Northern New Jersey has changed its name to reflect the reality which has unfolded over the last 20 years: People with disabilities are at the center of this church's ministry and mission. I spoke with pastor Judy Broker about this very unique congregation.

When did this ministry begin?

The First Reformed Church of Ridgewood was a dying congregation of approximately ...

There is no job security in the Kingdom. Jesus promised we'd have both trouble and blessings. He said that we could ask and receive. He told us not to be fearful or anxious. In fact, Jesus had a great many things to say to his followers–but not once did he guarantee tenure to those who were doing Kingdom work.

If we truly want our efforts to have a spiritual impact, the where, ...

Christians are not distinguished from others by our faith. Faith can be found throughout a variety of religious sects. Rather, God intended for us to stand out to this struggling world by our love.

The deep and powerful commandment of the Lord to "love one another" has often been interpreted in one of two ways: either it's the "love is patient, love is kind" crowd who believe ...

Vulnerability. Transparency. Authenticity. Words so trail-blazing a scant decade ago are now on the verge of becoming little more than the latest ingredients in a cookie-cutter formula for producing modern-day Christian leaders.

Why would I make such an audacious claim? Because these terms are so ingrained in the day-to-day language of current church development that we're ...

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Tell us about your role at Dallas Theological Seminary.

I've been there full time about 10 years now. That's been a wild and crazy journey, something I never, ever expected. When I got my doctorate, I didn't ever think I would do this.

I teach, but I am a practitioner. I teach how-to courses: how to create ministries that are transformational, how to teach the Bible ...

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Lisa is going through a divorce and she's afraid to tell her fellow church members. She is slipping deeper and deeper into depression, with no one to talk to. John has lost his job and he's having an emotional breakdown. He's questioning his worth as a man since he can't provide for his family. Sarah is in an abusive relationship and she has developed low self-esteem. ...

Because of a lifetime battling depression, Johanna's mom had difficulty coping with the challenges of raising a child. Spending hours in bed, she became detached from her daughter. The depression began a chain reaction in the family—Johanna's dad worked long hours so he didn't have to engage the painful situation at home. Consequently, Johanna grew up with parents who were ...